Origin
Hinsdale, IL
Late night in Hinsdale on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hinsdale, IL to Chicago, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
17.2 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hinsdale, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Traveling from Hinsdale to downtown Chicago covers a short 17.2-mile distance that typically takes about 33 minutes to complete. Because this journey is entirely local, you won't need to worry about splitting it into multiple days; it is a straightforward day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $3, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. You will stay within the Illinois Midwest region for the duration of the trip, moving from a suburban setting into the heart of the city. Since there are zero planned stops, you can expect a direct experience without the need for extended breaks. It is a practical commute for those looking to reach the city quickly without the complexity of long-distance planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 47th Street | 4.3 mi | 9m |
| Stevenson Expressway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Damen Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Blue Island Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Hinsdale Avenue | 0.5 mi | 2m |
| 1st Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
47th Street
— 4.3 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hinsdale, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on West Hinsdale Avenue
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Hinsdale Avenue
2
Continue on East Chicago Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chicago Avenue
3
Continue on 47th Street
4.3 mi
·
9 min
·
47th Street
4
Turn right onto 1st Avenue Frontage Road
352 ft
·
12 sec
·
1st Avenue Frontage Road
5
Turn slight left
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
Toward IL 171 South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Turn straight onto IL 171
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
1st Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 55: Chicago, St Louis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 55
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 55
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward Damen Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
440 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Damen Avenue
15
Turn right onto South Blue Island Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Blue Island Avenue
16
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Cermak Road
17
Turn right
152 ft
·
11 sec
18
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 6.2 and 14.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
6.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the ramp toward I 55: Chicago, St Louis
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55: Chicago, St Louis
7
6.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 55 North: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
8
14.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 290
Toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue
8
14.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Damen Avenue
9
14.8 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.69 one way
$5.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.95 | $5.90 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.31 | $6.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.80 | $7.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Chicago, IL
Late night in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
18 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
33m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate using a combination of East Chicago Avenue, 47th Street, and 1st Avenue Frontage Road to make your way toward your destination. Because the route relies exclusively on local streets, the driving experience is constant and requires your full attention at intersections. There is no long, uninterrupted highway stretch here, so you should be prepared for frequent maneuvering through the urban landscape. The character of this drive is functional and steady, reflecting the typical transition from suburban Hinsdale into the Chicago city grid.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.3 mi on 47th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 17.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
695 ft
588 ft
Total Climb
44 ft
Total Descent
151 ft
Highest Point
695 ft
Elevation Range
107 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Hinsdale, IL to Chicago, IL, road signs begin pointing toward St Louis along the way.
St Louis
6.2 mi in
|
~15m
About the Cities
Starting in Hinsdale, IL
Full guide →Founded 1873
Hinsdale is a village in Chicagoland.
Top landmarks
- • Francis Stuyvesant Peabody House — historic house in Illinois, United States
Arriving in Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
- • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
- • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 17.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.3 miles on 47th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Chicago, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chicago, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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